New Chisel Sharpening?

Mike Davis

Mike
Corporate Member
When diamond stones are new they tend to scratch more because the diamonds are not even. After a while the break in and give a better finish.

Is that the 1000 grit stone? Try using more of the liquid and a much softer stroke. If that doesn’t help then get some 600 grit Wet n dry sandpaper from an auto body supply or auto parts store. It wears down pretty quick and should give a dull even finish. That will do for now. Each time you sharpen it should get better.
 

Gofor

Mark
Corporate Member
It looks like you went from about 300 grit to 1000 grit. This is where the intermediate grits (400, 600) can really speed things up. Use wet/dry paper with water or windex (ammonia free) as intermediates until you can get a 600 grit stone. Use the 400 until the deep scratches are gone, then the same with the 600 until the 400 scratches are gone, and then final with the 1000.

Yes, it initially takes some time, but it will only take a little touch-up with the 1000 on the back from now on.

Good job with the coarser grit getting the tool marks out.
 

Tarhead

Mark
Corporate Member
View attachment 191805
Top is a new 3/4inch chisel from the set
Bottom is a 1/2inch chisel I have spent and hour flattening the back.

I can’t seem to get those scratches off the chisel and get to the “mirror finish” I hear everyone talking about. Any suggestions?
Only worry about flatening the first 1/4" behind the edge. You will need to progressively make smaller scratches to get the mirror finish (unnecessary for woodworking but understand why you want it). I suggest go to an auto parts store and get an assortment pack of auto body sandpaper up to ~2000 and then get a small stick of green jeweler's rouge: https://www.amazon.com/Green-Stainless-Jewelers-Polishing-Compound/dp/B0195DYQSO A small piece of MDF is fine for mounting the sandpaper to and the back of it for the rouge.
 

Jeff

New User
Jeff
I use DMT diamond stones in 325, 600, and 1200 grit when starting to initialize a new chisel then finish up with the green stropping paste on a leather strop (3" w x 12" l) glued to a piece of wood. BTW that's not rust, just the lighting.
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Mike Davis

Mike
Corporate Member
That is what I like to see when I buy a new (or even an old) chisel. That hollow spot 1/2 inch behind the edge makes sharpening a breeze.

What you hate to see is the opposite, a high bump there. That means several minutes on the grinder to get the bump down so you can hone it flat.
P1010016.png
 

Jeff

New User
Jeff
Narex chisels recommended by Ken of Cary and other members. The hollow on the back was there and it took a while to get them ready to use.


That is what I like to see when I buy a new (or even an old) chisel. That hollow spot 1/2 inch behind the edge makes sharpening a breeze.

What you hate to see is the opposite, a high bump there. That means several minutes on the grinder to get the bump down so you can hone it flat.
P1010016.png
 

junquecol

Bruce
Senior User
Klingspor sells silicon carbide sand paper. No need to go to auto parts store, unless you ne a quart of motor oil.
 

Gofor

Mark
Corporate Member
If you are not near Klingspors, I have found CarQuest to be the only store that sells full size wet/dry sheets up through 2000 grit.
 

BWhitney

Bruce
Corporate Member
On this day of self-quarantine, after making dividers yesterday for the silverware drawer, I decided to follow some of the directions Mike has been preaching for years.

Yesterday I used one of my special 2 cherries chisels that I bought in Germany many years ago. I don’t use it much so it stays sharp.

Today I took that same chisel, flattened the back (through all the grits on my Worksharp 3000), and then worked the bevel through all the grits. WOW!

I just thought that thing was sharp before. So I spent the afternoon flattening chisel backs and sharpening a set of chisels from Aldis.

My goodness but sharp makes a difference.
 

Jeff

New User
Jeff
Yep, a bit of proper sharpening makes a big difference in what we thought was sharp. Paul Sellers has some Aldi chisels which he likes.



On this day of self-quarantine, after making dividers yesterday for the silverware drawer, I decided to follow some of the directions Mike has been preaching for years.

Yesterday I used one of my special 2 cherries chisels that I bought in Germany many years ago. I don’t use it much so it stays sharp.

Today I took that same chisel, flattened the back (through all the grits on my Worksharp 3000), and then worked the bevel through all the grits. WOW!

I just thought that thing was sharp before. So I spent the afternoon flattening chisel backs and sharpening a set of chisels from Aldis.

My goodness but sharp makes a difference.
 

BML

Lee
Senior User
I have always enjoyed Paul Sellers videos, and I recall this one as being pretty interesting. Obviously it’s a bit on the extreme side to display what’s possible. Clearly some tools will need to be sharpened to a much higher degree, but I think your 1000g Stone will do fine for the time being.

 

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